Lock groove tile

ABSTRACT

A lock groove tile of generally square outline having tongues on two adjacent sides and grooves on the other two adjacent sides for interlocking with adjacent tiles. A metal sheet is secured to the wall to be tiled and the sheet has edges adapted to cooperate with the respective tongues and grooves of the tiles to support the edges of the groups of tiles. In a modified form of the invention a metal strip is formed to interfit with a row of tiles and has a finished chrome strip covering the edges of the tiles.

United States Patent Musser 1 June 26, 1973 LOCK GROOVE TILE PrimaryExaminer-Frank L. Abbott Assistant Examiner-Carl D. Friedman [76]Inventor: Jennie E. Musser 5988 Martinus St.,

Route 2 HaSIeuZMiCh 48840 Alttorney-Alexander B. Blair, Elton H. Brown,Jr. et

a [22] Filed: July 27, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 166,402

[57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. 52/387, 52/593 [51] Int. Cl E04f 13/08 A lockgroove i of generally Square outline having [58] Fleld of Search 52/387,392, 386, tongues on two adjacent sides and grooves on the other 52/384485i 593? 273/1535 two adjacent sides for interlocking with adjacenttiles. A metal sheet is secured to the wall to be tiled and the [56]References and sheet has edges adapted to cooperate with the respec-UNITED STATES PATENTS tive tongues and grooves of the tiles to supportthe 2,202,568 5 1940 Worden 52/387 edges of the groups of tiles In amodified form of the 2,335,303 11/1943 Olsen invention a metal strip isformed to interfit with a row 3,378,973 4/1968 Tudor-Pole 52/716 X oftiles and has a finished chrome strip covering the 3,357,146 12/1967Gartrell 52/593 X edges of the tiles 3,579,941 5/1971 Tibbals 52/593 XFOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1 Claim 10 Drawing Figures 746,4090/1933 France 273/1535 1 LOCK GROOVE TILE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONFIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a tile systemfor tiling a wall without the use of mortar.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION the invention a metal strip is providedinterfitting with 1 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS F 16.1 is a planview of thetile system;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of one of the tiles shown partially broken awayand in section for convenience of illustration;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a smaller tile used as a border;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view taken alongthe line 4-4 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken alongthe line 5--5 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken alongthe line 6-6 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical crosssection taken along theline 7-7 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section taken along theline 8-8 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a modified form of the invention; and

FIG. 10 is a horizontal sectional view partially broken away of themetal plate forming part of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings indetail wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughoutthe several figures the referencenumeral indicates generally a tilesystem constructed in accordance with the invention. v

The tile system 20 includes a relatively flat metallic backing plate 21having one edge 22 formed as a molding with a tongue 23 extendinginwardly thereof for reasons to be assigned. A molding 24 is formed onthe opposite edge of the plate 21 and has a groove 25 formed therein forreasons to be assigned The bottom edge 26 of the metal plate 21corresponds to the mold- 5 ing 22 and has a tongue similar to the tongue23 extending therealong.

The metal sheet 21 is adapted to be secured to the wall to be tiled bymeans of a plurality of screws 27.

A plurality of tiles 28 each has a tongue 29 and a tongue 30 formed onadjacent meeting edges thereof with the opposite adjacent edges having agroove 31 and a groove 32 formed therein. The tiles 28 are positioned onthe metal plate 21 with the groove 32 engaged with the tongue 23 alongthe bottom of the metal plate 21 and the groove 31 engaged with thetongue 23 along one side edge thereof. Additional tiles are placedagainst the metal plate with each tile interlocking with the adjacentportion of the metal plate or the'adjacent portion of an adjacent tileuntil the metal plate 21 is completely covered with tiles 28.

Small tiles 28' but otherwise identical to the tiles 28 are fitted intoa smaller metal plate at the top of the plate 21 as a top border for thewall.

In FIG. 6 a metal trim strip 33 is shown between a pair of tiles 28 withthe trim strip having a tongue portion 34 and a groove 35 to interfitwith the respective tongue and groove of the tile 28.

In FIG. 9 a modified form of the invention is illustrated wherein metalplates 21 are provided having strips 33' secured thereto to form abacking for the tiles 28.

-It should be understood that the tiles 28 may in addition be glued orotherwise fastened to the metal sheet and if desired may be secureddirectly to a wall using molding to cover the tongues and grooves alongthe edges.

Having thus described the preferred embodiments of the invention itshould be understood that numerous structural modifications andadaptations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

I claim:

1. A wall tile system comprising a large flat metal plate detachablysecured to a wall, a molding strip integrally secured to one side edgeand one bottom edge of said plate and extending perpendicularlyoutwardly of said plate with said molding strips having a tongueextending in a plane parallel to said plate and spaced outwardly fromsaid plate, a third molding strip integrally formed on the opposite sideedge of said plate and extending perpendicularly outwardly of said plateand having a groove formed therein, a plurality of tiles supported onsaid plate, each of said tiles having a tongue extending outwardly fromadjacent meeeing edges and a groove formed in the opposite meeting edgeswith said grooves engaging the tongues in the molding edge of said plateor the tongues of adjacent tiles to completely interlock said tiles witheach other and with said metal plate, a plurality of border tilessubstantially smaller than the tiles secured to said plate secured tosaid wall above said plate, an elongate strip having a tongue on oneside and a groove on the other engaged between a pair of tile rows andcoextensive therewith and an elongate chrome decorative strip mountedcoextensively on said first named strip for covering the juncturebetween said rows of tiles.

4' II I I

1. A wall tile system comprising a large flat metal plate detachablysecured to a wall, a molding strip integrally secured to one side edgeand one bottom edge of said plate and extending perpendicularlyoutwardly of said plate with said molding strips having a tongueextending in a plane parallel to said plate and spaced outwardly fromsaid plate, a third molding strip integrally formed on the opposite sideedge of said plate and extending perpendicularly outwardly of said plateand having a groove formed therein, a plurality of tiles supported onsaid plate, each of said tiles having a tongue extending outwardly fromadjacent meeeing edges and a groove formed in the opposite meeting edgeswith said grooves engaging the tongues in the molding edge of said plateor the tongues of adjacent tiles to completely interlock said tiles witheach other and with said metal plate, a plurality of border tilessubstantially smaller than the tiles secured to said plate secured tosaid wall above said plate, an elongate strip having a tongue on oneside and a groove on the other engaged between a pair of tile rows andcoextensive therewith and an elongate chrome decorative strip mountedcoextensively on said first named strip for covering the juncturebetween said rows of tiles.